Different
The boy ran down the streets as fast as he could his tormentors hot on his tail.
"Demon! Demon!" The kids threw the rocks and they made hard contact with the white haired boy's back.
Poor Toushiro Hitsugaya couldn't go very far from his house without something like this happening. He resented Momo for leaving to that stupid school. He used to go out with her and they'd leave him alone.
"Go away!" He yelled over his shoulder only to have a rock hit him in the head.
He stumbled holding where it had narrowly missed his eye. Not able to look where he was going Toushiro tripped over a rock.
"Crap," he ignored the blood from the cut now above his right eye and tried to scramble to his feet before they got too close.
No such luck.
One of the older boys grabbed him by a clump of his white locks and the other two moved in to begin the beating.
"Enough!"
The four felt a spiritual pressure that froze them in place. A large figure stood over the group his face covered but wearing an undeniable shinigami uniform.
"Leave him." He ordered.
As soon as the spiritual pressure let go the three boys ran off terrified. Toushiro fell to his knees trying to get his breath back. He seemed to feel the shinigami's reatsu more than the other three boys.
"Are you alright boy?" The shinigami bent on one knee and when to put a hand on the boy back.
"Leave me alone!" He utterly failed at trying to push the hand away so instead got to his feet and ran off.
Konamura sighed. He couldn't leave the boy like this. He had been in the area to deal with the sudden increase in hollows but came across the strange white haired boy being chased and called a demon. He wouldn't leave. He would get the boy cleaned up and home himself.
He flash stepped easily catching up.
"Let me help you." He appeared in front of Toushiro to which the boy nearly fell back in shock.
"G-granny said not to trust strangers." he hoped the shinigami would leave him alone.
"I am Captain of squad 7, Sanjin Konamura," He bent onto one knee again to look less frightening.
"A captain?" The shocked boy looked over the huge man, "T-That's why you were that white hiori too..."
Konamura nodded.
"What is your name?"
He took a few more minutes looking at the man with untrusting teal eyes. It was hard to trust someone when you couldn't see their face.
"Hitsugaya, Hitsugaya Toushiro."
"Not strangers anymore Hitsugaya,"
"Come," The covered wolf-man stood, "We can go to the stream to get you cleaned up."
Toushiro blinked when he was at his full height. He was friggin huge! Toushiro was maybe up to his knee. He quietly followed not sure what he was supposed to say to a shinigami captain.
"Why were those boys chasing you?" Konamura already knew the answer but felt he needed to ask.
"Cause I'm different," Hitsugaya shrugged.
Konamura gave an animalistic growl, "People are cruel to what they do not understand and they cannot understand how you are what you are."
Toushiro's looked up at the man. Maybe he was just like Momo and Granny but… he had to wonder why he hid his face. Deep in his thought he almost walked into the back of the captain's leg.
"Get yourself washed, boy," He shook his head, smirking under the mask.
Toushiro just nodded and proceeded to was the blood from his face and the dirt from the rest of him. He glanced around. No one else was here. He looked over his shoulder where the captain watched over him.
"Erm…" he looked back to the water, "Why do you cover your face?"
He knew that was rude. He knew that was blunt and rude but hey he's probably never gonna see him again after today.
"Because I am also…different…more so than yourself," He replied, "This is one way that I can escape ridicule."
"But you're a captain," he though aloud still talking to the water, "People should respect you no matter what you look like."
"People are not that simple," he came over and sat by the boy.
He tried not to laugh at the confused look that boy was giving him.
"I may have power but I can't exactly go around killing everyone who speaks ill of my appearance, if that is what you're thinking."
"Then I guess there's no escaping it," Hitsugaya said miserably.
"There will always be people in the world who and only see your appearance." Konamura nodded, "But at the same time there will always be some who can look passed it. The people worth protecting and fight for."
"Granny and Momo…" He muttered.
Satisfied he'd lifted the boy's spirits Konamura got to his feet, "We best get you home."
"Yeah," he stood but didn't move, "Can…I see?"
Konamura looked back considering what the boy had said.
"Curious?"
"A little." He shrugged at the little lie.
He was really curious. What was worse than the freak he was. The captain looked round. The boy know the suffering he has and maybe it would make him feel better to know that maybe he wasn't alone anymore.
"Do not breath a word or other alright?" he said quite seriously.
"I won't," Toushiro nodded anticipation obvious.
Konamura reached up and lifted the basket-like helmet from his head. Toushiro was stunned for a while. That was defiantly worse than White hair and freakishly bright eyes. His head and his neck were covered in brown fur his eyes a piecing gold.
"You're…," He blinked a few time before smirking a little.
Konamura prepared himself for some kind of remark from what he had established as a rude but mistreated little boy.
"Cool."
"What?" He blinked.
"It's cool," Hitsugaya replied, "No one would mess with you looking like that."
Konamura softly smiled at the very naive comment.
"Come." He turned and put the helmet back on.
"My house is this way," He began to lead the way.
Konamura followed on behind. They walked through the town with no fuss this time as any who thought about picking on the strange boy were quickly discouraged by the large captain's presents.
Toushiro stopped outside of a small and poor looking house.
"I guess I…would say thanks…for helping me before." He muttered as he stepped up onto the porch.
"It was no trouble Hitsugaya," He replied, "I must return to the Seireitei. Stay out of trouble and maybe I will see you later on in life."
"Probably not," Hitsugaya shook his head, "I'm not going to become a shinigami. I have to stay here for granny."
"That is noble of you." They boy had reatsu but not enough for the moment.
"Shiro?" Came an old voice, "Is that you?"
"Yeah," He called back, "Goodbye Captain Konamura," He quickly bowed and went in.
"I was beginning to get worried," Sanjin heard.
"I'm fine granny." Came the boy and the Captain turned to leave.
Authors notes: I do not own bleach or the characters
just a one shot I though of while watch Konamura fight tosen. I love that fluffy. But then agan I love all the blech character but Toushi number 1.
It's the one thing the two seem to have in commmon. although everything else is oposite they were both seen as something but human...soul...human...shinigami...and I just thought itd be interesting
hope you like